Chess Variants/Racing Kings

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a b c d e f g h
8a8 black kingb8 black kingc8 black kingd8 black kinge8 black kingf8 black kingg8 black kingh8 black king8
7a7 black kingb7 black kingc7 black kingd7 black kinge7 black kingf7 black kingg7 black kingh7 black king7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 black kingf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 black kingb2 black rookc2 black bishopd2 black knighte2 white knightf2 white bishopg2 white rookh2 white king2
1a1 black queenb1 black rookc1 black bishopd1 black knighte1 white knightf1 white bishopg1 white rookh1 white queen1
a b c d e f g h
Starting position of Racing Kings.

Introduction[edit | edit source]

Racing Kings is a variant that turns chess into a racing game, for lack of a better phrase. It is played using a standard board and standard pieces, but no pawns.

History[edit | edit source]

This variant was invented in 1961 by prolific chess variant creator V. R. Parton. It is currently one of the variants supported on Lichess.org.

Rules[edit | edit source]

As its name suggests, Racing Kings is a racing game - the goal is to get one's king to any square on the eighth rank. All pieces move the same as in standard chess.

It is forbidden to make a move that would place your opponent's king in check.

To compensate for White's first-move advantage, if White manages to move their king to the eighth rank, and Black does the same on the very next turn, the game ends in a draw.

Sub-variants[edit | edit source]

  • Dodo chess uses fewer pieces than Racing Kings.


a b c d e f g h
8a8 black kingb8 black kingc8 black kingd8 black kinge8 black kingf8 black kingg8 black kingh8 black king8
7a7 black kingb7 black kingc7 black kingd7 black kinge7 black kingf7 black kingg7 black kingh7 black king7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 black kingf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 black rookb2 black bishopc2 black knightd2 black kinge2 black kingf2 white knightg2 white bishoph2 white rook2
1a1 black kingb1 black bishopc1 black knightd1 black kinge1 black kingf1 white knightg1 white bishoph1 white king1
a b c d e f g h
Starting position of Dodo chess.


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